Speaker or Narrator, and Point of View
Isobel Dixon herself is often the speaker of her poetry, which is inspired by her personal life.
Form and Meter
In her poem "Plenty," rhyme is not a feature. However, she creates a sense of rhythm through her use of meter and alliteration.
Metaphors and Similes
Dixon uses a metaphor to describe the sky as being "the dusk’s soft tent".
Alliteration and Assonance
"Such plenty was too dear in our expanse of drought / where dams leaked dry and windmills stalled.”
Irony
In "Whereas at Venice," Dixon ironically suggests that something bad like heartbreak can have positive consequences.
Genre
Poetry
Setting
Most of the poems are set during Dixon's childhood.
Tone
The tone of the poems are often sentimental and nostalgic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Dixon is often the protagonist of her poems, and there are no clear antagonists.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of "Plenty" is the poverty Dixon's family struggled with.
Climax
The climax of "Plenty" is when the speaker has a bath as an adult, thinking about how grateful she is.
Foreshadowing
The reference to "guava" at the beginning of "April Incense," foreshadows the sweetness of the dessert later in the poem.
Understatement
As children, Dixon and her siblings understated the reasons for their mother's "meanness."
Allusions
Isobel Dixon alludes to her own life in many of her poems.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
Dixon personifies the lamp as "standing."
Hyperbole
Dixon uses hyperbole to describe the dessert her aunt used to cook for her. Dixon describes the dish as if it were the most delicious dessert ever made.
Onomatopoeia
N/A
